Luna's artwork was freshly finished: beneath a deep night sky, a golden-haired girl sat in a train as it chugged into the station, steam billowing, with the magnificent, brightly lit castle of Hogwarts gleaming in the distance.
There was still some magical powder left from making the crystal ball bracelet—just enough for this project. This powder's magic was to fix and preserve enchantments on paper.
Using it, Wyzett traced the outlines of the scene, murmuring incantations as he gently waved his wand. The train, tracks, platform, and castle seemed to leap from the paper like fish breaking the water's surface, rising into three-dimensional forms—miniature magical models.
"The train's wheels need to turn… and the steam should really move too…"
Thinking aloud, Wyzett grabbed the last of the magical powder, sprinkling it over the train's wheels and the clouds of steam, chanting as he cast.
Slowly, the steam began to drift and the wheels rolled forward. The golden-haired girl waved, back and forth—as if caught in a magical stop-motion animation.
Luna clapped her hands, delighted. "It's perfect! Now it really feels like a magical painting."
"We should add a bit of sound, too." Wyzett smiled. "Luna, say a few words to leave behind in the picture."
He drew an incomplete oval in the air with his wand. "Resonantia Remanere!"
This was a spell from Grindelwald's notes. It didn't have a proper name—just detailed instructions, gestures, and the incantation itself.
Its effect was simple: it could capture sound and embed it within a magical object. Wyzett had taken to calling it the "Recording Charm."
Grindelwald had even left a demonstration in his notes, using a passage from Plato's Symposium as an example. His voice, deep and magnetic, came through at a measured pace, every word crisp and clear—radiating unwavering confidence.
Wyzett tapped the spot on the painting where the golden-haired girl stood. A gentle emerald glow bloomed outward.
Luna bent down and spoke softly to the little figure: "Dad, I'm already at Hogwarts. It's just as magical as you said it would be. Take good care of yourself at home!"
Wyzett folded the paper, and the hovering images shrank, returning to their painted forms as the sheet closed. He tested it several times, making sure that every time the artwork was opened, the three-dimensional scene and the recorded message would come alive again. Satisfied, he handed the finished piece to Luna.
After saying goodnight, Wyzett watched Luna disappear into the dormitory before pulling out his notebook to review the goals he'd set over the summer: studying Memory Charms, Professor McGonagall's Animagus lessons, Professor Snape's private tutorials, Headmaster Dumbledore's armor magic…
"And the Guardian's Chamber!" Wyzett thought of Selena Pendragon's letter.
Now that he was back at Hogwarts, this was the first place he needed to visit. If he could enter the Guardian's Chamber, he might gain access to a trove of Ancient Magic.
…
One by one, students succumbed to sleep and drifted off to their dorms. Soon, only Wyzett remained in the common room.
Sensing the time was right, he slipped out, descending the spiral staircases into the corridor.
Hogwarts at night was eerily still. A few distant windows stood open, the wind howling through the hallways like a chorus of ghostly whispers.
Wyzett had seen plenty of ghosts in the wizarding world, but poltergeists like Peeves were something else entirely—a true anomaly, even here.
At the end of the corridor, Peeves was gleefully dragging a suit of armor back and forth, making it dance. The armor's creaks and Peeves' cackling laughter wove together into a ridiculous, raucous tune.
With students back at school, Peeves was in his element—singing off-key ditties between bouts of manic laughter:
"Don't be scared if I appear,
Mischief's joy is always near…
The wind in the halls is my secret giggle,
The turning pages, my silent wiggle…"
"Look at this ancient suit of steel,
I make it dance—what a deal!
Don't let stress steal your smile,
Let's find some fun, if just for a while…"
"Keep your laughs ready, and your screams in shape…
From dungeons to towers, my giggles escape!
In this ancient castle, my legend won't fade—
Peeves' mischief will always invade!"
Heavy, shuffling footsteps echoed down the corridor—Filch the caretaker, hunched and wheezing, had clearly been drawn by Peeves' racket.
"Peeves! No noise in the corridors! Get out! Off with you!" he snarled.
Peeves paused mid-song, then let out a wicked giggle. "Oh, it's you again… But Peeves is in a good mood tonight! Let my dance partner keep you company!"
With that, he began dismantling the armor piece by piece, hurling each chunk at Filch.
Filch and Peeves had been nemeses for years—the biggest wild card you could encounter on a nighttime wander through Hogwarts.
With the two of them locked in their usual battle, Wyzett slipped away, sprinting to the moving staircases and leaping down without hesitation.
Primordial Power: Obscurus Form (Basic)
As he fell, his eyes grew dark and crystalline, swirling with inky wisps—granting him the power of agile flight.
With Primordial Power: Obscurus Form (Basic), Wyzett didn't need to outsmart the ever-shifting stairs, saving precious time.
Following Selena Pendragon's guidance, he threaded his way through an unfamiliar corridor.
Many portraits hadn't yet gone to sleep. As he passed, they waved and greeted him with enthusiasm.
Wyzett smiled and nodded in return, finally slipping into a corridor's far end where a tall mahogany cabinet stood.
Several metal gear-shaped discs were embedded in its surface, giving it the look of a giant clock. Suns and stars were etched among the gears.
"This must be it…" Wyzett drew his wand, pressing it to one of the metal discs and nudging a pointer into place.
He whispered, "Here our time is inscribed…"
With a series of clicks, the gears spun and the metal door slowly swung open.
Inside was a shadowy staircase, descending into darkness.
Ancient Magic: Self-Molding (Devil's Snare Form)
Wyzett didn't bother with a standard lighting charm. Instead, he transformed his left fingers into Devil's Snare and stepped inside, pulling the metal door shut behind him.
He activated his Oculus Magicae, gripping his wand tightly.
Ready for anything, he prepared to cast his enhanced darkness charm at a moment's notice, summoning a field of absolute blackness.
His experience in the mirror world had taught him a valuable lesson: places like this—belonging to guardians—often held tests or trials.
If he wanted to make it to class tomorrow, it was best to be cautious…
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